Target.



A. MLLER.

TARGET.

APPLIUATION FILED AUG.9,1907.

Patented July, 1909.

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TARGET.

ABPLIQATION :FILED 'AUG.9,1907.

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TARGET.

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A. MLLER.

' TARGET. APPLICATION HLD AUG.9,1907.

Patented July 6, 1909.

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' TARGET.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.9, 1907.

Patented July 6, 1909.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED MLLER, or noMNE RELEREN, NEAR srANnAU, GERMANY.

TARGET.

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To cZZ 'whom it may concern.'

Be it known that l, ALFRED MLLER, a subject el the King of Prussia, residing at Domne ltuhleben, near Spandau, in the Kingdom el:l Prussia, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements `Relating to improvements in largets, of which the :following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Drop targets are known which are caused to fall over by the shock oi a shot striking them, the connection between the target and its stand or support being automatically re- These targets have partly the drawback that each is separately :lined en a post, and that after the target has fallen the post still remains visible to the marksman, and thereby may be mistaken for a mark. a

New the object ci' this invention consists in a drop target which is caused to appear and disappear in already known manner and which may be arranged at any suitable place independently of apost or the like.

According to this invention the target rests on a separate support or holder onl which the 'parts serving for holding the target are lined. The parts operating the release of the :fixed target are perfectly inde pendent of and separate from the parts on the target itself which eiiect the holding of the target, and are combined on a metal plate attached thereto. This arrangement has for its object to increase the stability of the target and also to simplify the construction of the target and to allow of its various parts being easily removed or exchanged.

Various forms of construction ol the object of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which :w

Figure l is a iront view oi a row ol drop head targets standing ready to be ired at and which. are mounted on a pivotal double plate Fig. 2 is a front view of a releasing mechanism in a set and locked position, mounted on an angle plate or equivalent arrangement; llig. 3, is a side view of same Fig. i is a iront view ci a knee drop target. Fig. 5 is a iront view of a falling head target with another form of construction of the releasing mechanism. Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively an. elevation and cross section on an. enlarged scale olthis mechanism. Fig. 8 is a cross section el a falling target formed as Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 9, 1907.

Patented July 6, 1909.

Serial No. 387,942.

a knee and iigure target, and Fig. 9 is another form of construction ol" the target mechan: ism. Fig. l() is a front view of the target holder; Fig. 11 a side view with inserted cross wood target; Eig. l2 a plan view ol the target holder, omitting its vertical arm.

In the form of construction shown in Figs. 1-4, the target e is carried by a support piece or holder n. On this holder n, which en its part may be arranged at any suitable place, so that the target may be also employed for making the occupation, for instance, of houses, windows, trees and the like, that is to say, the target-holder may be arranged. at any suitable place, for instance, at windows, trees and the like, so that there may be obtained the illusion el occupied houses or forests, which is very useful, a connecting hook ZL which serves as a locking device is at tached and provided with a pressure spring m shown in Fig. 3, which serves for throwing` over the target to the front.

On the side of the target e, lacing the marksman, a metal plate, for instance an angle plate b is fixed. On the horizontal arm of this angle plate, which also serves as a stop l'or the connecting hook Zi, a striker c is pivoted. Gn the striker a contact or hooked arm d is provided which in the holding position 'fixes the connect-ing hook 71,. The striker is under the action oi' a striker spring e the end ol' which is attached to the vertical arm of the angle plate and its other end to the hooked arm cZ. In the holding position the set screw Z screwed through the angle plate serves as a support i'or the striker c. For the purpose of correct adjustment this screw Z may be screwed more or less into the plate b. The turning el the set screw Z may l'or instance be eilected by means of a pin which engages in a perforation in the head of the stop, but it may be operated in any other suitable way. In order to obtain as small a contact surface as possible between the set screw and the striker, it is preferable to screw in the set screw at a slight inclination to the striker, or to bevel eil inward the end oi the screw.

The action on the target just described. is as follows I-VVhen the target is in its upright position the various parts oi` the lockingI de vice occupy the positions shown in Figs. 2 and 3. In this condition the target is held immovable in its helder, so that accidental disengagement of the locking device is prevented even in strong wind. When a bullet strikes the target its smart sudden blow causes a vibration of the target whereby the releasing lever C is disengaged from its set screw L. The lever acting under the impulse of its spring forcibly strikes the connecting hook 7L upwardly, so that it no longer engages the part i). rfhe target is then thrown forwardly by its spring m.

In targets, the targets arranged in a row on the double bars (Fig. l) usually employed for appearing and disappearing targets, which bars may be raised from the broad side position, up on edge, in known manner from the shelter, it has been found that on erecting the targets a violent vibration was caused which was capable of prematurely releasing the targets standing in the upright position and causing them to turn over. The security against such an unintentional releasing of the targets is obtained by the striker being retained by any suitable device, which may be easily removed from the shelter. In the present form of construction this is done by means of a locking wedge p (Fig. 2) inserted between the striker c and a bent up flap 7c located on the horizontal arm of the angle plate. These safety wedges-simple wooden wedges of diamond section-are connected by short connecting cords with a main cord running into the shelter, by means of which main cord they may be pulled down without trouble. The wedges are in this way entirely removed from the target. A uniformly correct position of the striker under the set screw is also insured by the insertion of these safety or locking wedges. In. Fig. 1 the safety wedges are removed.

The invention may also be applied to knee or jointed targets, only the vertical arln of the elbow plate in this case is prolonged upwardly (Fig. 4), in order to make a stronger connection, and so to transmit better the vibration caused by a shot in the upper part of the target, downward to the releasing place.

Further forms of construction of the object of the invention are shown in Figs. 5-9, which constructions have for their object to increase the security of working of the mechanism of the target as far as possible and also to enable the mechanism to be employed in the most practically favorable manner for knee and figure targets. A spring e which operates the striker c pivoted on the elbow plate is in these forms of construction formed as a spiral spring, and thus renders the vertical arm of the elbow plate shown in Figs. l-4, superfluous. The free end of the striker c is so bent up that it also serves in the holding position as an arm for latching the connecting hook h. It is also preferable as shown in Fig. 9, to attach the striker spring c2 directly to the striker c2 by means of riveting or the like. The simplification thereby obtained is evident. ln the set position the striker rests against a stop l screwed from beneath through the target and angle plate, which stop may be screwed out and in forV the purpose of correct adjustment. lf, in the arrangement shown in Fig. 2, a pull be exerted on the wedge for the purpose of releasing the lock in the direction there indicated, the wedge may easily become ammed. In order to avoid this, in this form of construction, a stop or rather guide bar lf: is provided on the angle plate b, which stop prevents the jamming of the wedge p under a pull acting in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. (i. The mode of working of this stop or guide bar is evident without fui'- ther explanation from the drawings. The angle plate is also provided with a tongue .e at the place bordering the lower edge of the slot for the connecting hook 7i., the full horizontal surface of which tongue is passed through the slot for the connecting hook. ln this way as metal acts on metal, on the one hand the automatic penetration of the wood of the disk by the connecting hook and thus the impairment of the certainty of the action is prevented, while on the other by the tongue z beinO suitably raised or depressed it is possible to adjust the connecting hook in the simplest manner. ln using the mechan ism on knee and figure targets as shown in Fig. S, the arm n carrying the connecting hook 7L, is suitably prolonged and supported by a separate stay f. For the purpose of erecting the targets with certainty and rorrectly, independent of the pun ctuality of the target attendants, the target has recesses at i ts front and nmlerparl'f, which serve for rerei vin g the target holders. In order to allow ol' the target easily and unimpededly falling over in any case, the rear edges of the disk are in the present case beveled olli, while the lower supporting angle or elbow is formed of suflicient width, and these edges are merged with a rounding into the lower support surface resting thereon. In this way the target on being struck is caused to fall over by reason of the play obtained. by its shape, and. is prevented from sticking. Between. the target holder and its support, apiece of felt is placed (Figs. 7 and 8), in order to insulate the parts which are not intended to be affected by vibra tions, so that for instance a shot striking the bar cannot cause the target to fall.

In the forms of construction hitherto employed, the use of wood targets of at least millimeters in thickness was customary and the horizontal part of the target holders was formed accordingly. In order to allow of the targets easily and unimpededly falling over, in cach case the rear edges of the target were rounded and beveled, and the lower carrying' elbouT el2 the target holder made sinne/What Wide. The use olI the same target holder .lor the Wood cross targets ol about 5 millin'ieters in. thickness very frequently ein ployed nowadays has heen found very detective and uncertain, as the comparatively thin Wood cross targets have too .much play in the broad foot ci the target holder, more particularly in. a lateral direction, and consequently could. easily he released unintentionally. `ln consideration et this, the form ol." construction oll the target holder shown in Figs. 1042i is provided with a bar which can enter a slot provided in the cross Wood target.' ln this Way tl 1e target is protected. on the one .hand against lateral movements, and on tho other hand. this har serves to a certain extent for centering' the target to be erected thereon, in the same Way as the recesses formed on the liront side of the thick Walled u/'ooden disks.

ln. constructing a thin walled target a it is mounted in such a Way en the target holder n* that its slet t stands over the bar s. ln this Way the target is prevented making lateral movements and may he employed with the saine certainty of working' as the thicker Wood targets before mentioned. il the same target holder is to he employed, at will lor thick and thin Walled. targets, of course the thick Wood targets must also be provided with a suitably formed slet t. By means el" the perfor-ations u provided on the horizontal part el the target holder a2 it is possible to hold the targets also with this part by means olf an intermediate piece of telt inifaulated above upon the bar, and in consequence of this possibility7 the visible surlace olE the falling' targets is suhstantially increased not only on. the target stand but more particularly in. marking' occujjiied houses, trees and the like.

l declare that what l claim is :w

1. A falling' target adapted to he upset when struck having' a metal plate, a striker, a sjn'ing' adapted to actuate said striker, a hook adapted to engage said. plate and to be struck by said striker, and a catch device for said striker adapted to he l'eleased when the target :is struck said striker, spring and catch de* vice being' mounted on said. metal plate.

2. jl falling target adapted to be upset when struck having' a metal plate, a striker, a spring adapted te actuate said striker, a hook adapted to engage said plate and to be struck by said striker, and a catch device for said striker adapted to be released When the targ'et is struck, said striker, spring' and catch device being mounted upon said metal plate, and said. catch device comprising' a screw which is adapted to be adjusted so as to regulate the releasability of the target.

3. A falling' target adapted to be upset when struck having a metal. plate, a striker, a

spring' adapted to act-nate said striker, a hook adapted to engage said plate and to be struck by said striker, a catch device lor said striker adapted to be released when the target .is struck, said catch device comprising' a screw which is adapted to be adjusted so as to regulate the releasability et the target, and Wedges p adapted to prevent the release of said. striker.

l. A falling' taii'g'et adapted to be upset when struck having a metal plate, a striker, a spring' adapted to actuate said striker, a hook adapted to engage said plate and to be struck by said striker, a catch device for said. striker adapted te be released when the targ'et is struck, said catch device comprising' a screw Which is adapted to be adjusted so as to regulate the releasability el the target, and. Wedges p adapted to prevent the release ol said striker, said. Wedges being entirely removable from the target, and having a tlekible connection whereby they may be removed.

5. A. falling' target adapted to be upset when struck iaving' a metal plate, a striker, a spring' adapted to actuate said. striker, a hook adapted to engage said plate and to he struck by said striker, and a catch device lor said striker adapted to be released when the target is struck, said metal plate being' previded With an upwardly extending' prolonga-` tion adapted to transmit the vibration, caused by a shot striking the target, to the releasing' device.

6. A. falling' target adapted to be upset When struck, comprising' a supporting' member having a lioeiesliaped member pivoted thereto and a falling member having' means for releasing said. hook-shaped member, and lacing' separable vfrom said supporting .inemd ber, said releasing means comprising a striker, a catch device l'or .normally holding' said striker said catch. device being screwthreaded so that it may be adjusted and a spring' for actuating' said striker.

7. ik falling' target adapted to be upset when struck, comprising' a supporting' membei' having' a hook-shaped member pivoted. thereto and a falling member' having means for releasing' said hoek-shaped member, and being separable from said supporting' member, said releasing; means comprising a striker, an adjustable screw-threaded catch device for normally holding said. striker, and a spiral spring' for actuating said striker.

il. A falling target having' a striker, a connecting hook adapted to be struck by said. striker, and a striker spring directly conn nected. with said. striker, Wedges p adapted to prevent the release oli said striker, and guide bars t3 adapted to prevent jamming' of the Wedges.

9. A falling' target having a releasing1 device comjjirisin a striker, a spring ["or movin said striker, a hook adapted to be struck by Seid striker, :md n tongue z beneath said hook, seid tongue extending; through L slot in. the target and adapted, to be adjusted by slot in the target to provide against lateral 10 movement of the target.

i In Witness whereof, l have horel'lubo slgued I my name in. the presence of two subscribing bonding it up and down. Witnesses. 1

10. A faling target having a target holder ALFRED MULLER. n2 provlded Wlth a, cross-bar s on lts horlzon- Wltuessesz tal zum 'to permit thin wall targets being uSed, szud cross-biubemg adapted to enter a I HENRY HAsIfER, WOLDEMAR HAUPT. 

